Gabriel Martinelli: Mikel Arteta offers worrying injury update after Carabao Cup exit | OneFootball

Mikel Arteta has confirmed Gabriel Martinelli will be sent for a scan on an apparent hamstring injury picked up in Arsenal's 2-0 defeat to Newcastle United on Wednesday.

The Gunners were thumped by the same scoreline in both legs of their Carabao Cup semi-final but suffered the added blow of losing Martinelli late in the first half after the winger pulled up and had to leave the pitch.

With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus both already in the midst of extensive injury lay-offs, Arsenal can ill-afford another significant loss and will be eagerly awaiting the results of scans on Martinelli's issue.

"He felt something, I think it was his hamstring and he wasn't comfortable to continue," Arteta revealed after the game. "So we will have to have an MRI scan tomorrow to see the extent of the injury."

Martinelli left with his head in his hands / Stu Forster/GettyImages

Arteta has already voiced his disappointment towards Arsenal's lack of incomings during the January transfer window after losing both Saka and Jesus. Any spell on the sidelines for Martinelli would leave Kai Havertz, Raheem Sterling, Leandro Trossard and Ethan Nwaneri as the only available options for Arteta.

To try and aid recovery, Arsenal will jet off to a warm weather training camp in Dubia on Thursday, which Arteta hopes will rejuvenate his side ahead of their return to action against Leicester City on February 15.

"We need to swallow this one, it's a tough one," Arteta continued. "We had a lot of expectations, we knew the difficulty of the task because of the result that we brought from London but there's nothing we can do right now.

"What we could do is, we were on the pitch a few minutes ago, now we have to look forward. First of all I think this is going to be a painful one and while we are in Dubai, recharge and then go again because we have still a lot to play."